reflections #1
Some reflections on The Rise of Christianity
The Rise of Christianity is an examination on how the movement of Christ followers went from being an unheard of group of Jews to the officially endorsed religion of the Roman Empire in less than two hundred years. The author is a sociologist by training and brings that approach to his analysis of history. Here are a few things that jumped out at me.
If the author is correct then the Christian faith grew largely because of logical reasons that seem to take the focus away from the Holy Spirit needing to work in supernatural ways. In other words, becoming a Christian appealed on a number of levels.
Christianity appealed to woman at the time because it granted them a better place in society and within the faith than anything else had to offer at the time. In most parts of the Roman world, women were property or either their father or their husband. To become a Christian was a liberating thing for most women.
Christianity spread primarily throughout the cities. The cities of the time were overpopulated on the same level as Bombay but without the skyscrapers. This meant that the quality of life was extremely low and the introduction of a faith that offered hope was very appealing. The hope offered was more than what was to come in the next life but it was hope in a better way of life in the here and now. The Christ followers were known for their care for each other and in a time of no public health programs filled a significant need.
Christians stuck around when others left during two plagues that wiped out a significant percentage of the population throughout the Empire. According the studies cited in his book, Stark argues that Christianity spread rapidly during these plagues because Christians cared for the sick and in doing so decreased the mortality rate. In other words the Christians were more likely to live and the non-Christians who did survive often had Christians to thank for it.
As I was reading this book I was initially threatened by explaining the growth of the Church void of any reference to the Spirit. It sounded so scientific and lacking any involvement from God. I guess I do have a bit of a bias against science at times. I will have to work on that. But then the more I thought about it, the more I was encouraged by the fact that a community of people trying to follow Jesus’ teachings and put their hope in his death and resurrection has naturally appealing elements.
Christianity can provide care for those who have no one else. It can provide community when it starts to feel that everyone is disconnected. It can value those who are marginalized in the rest of society. It can meet the deeply felt needs of all kinds of different people. In fact it seems like it needs to by its very design. If it is not doing these things something is wrong.
I believe God has created us with certain emotions, desires and passions and it is comforting to know that his desired structure of how his people should live on earth as the Church should fulfill those needs. The Christian faith grew rapidly during the first couple of centuries because it met felt needs. Shouldn’t it do much the same today?
The Rise of Christianity is an examination on how the movement of Christ followers went from being an unheard of group of Jews to the officially endorsed religion of the Roman Empire in less than two hundred years. The author is a sociologist by training and brings that approach to his analysis of history. Here are a few things that jumped out at me.
If the author is correct then the Christian faith grew largely because of logical reasons that seem to take the focus away from the Holy Spirit needing to work in supernatural ways. In other words, becoming a Christian appealed on a number of levels.
Christianity appealed to woman at the time because it granted them a better place in society and within the faith than anything else had to offer at the time. In most parts of the Roman world, women were property or either their father or their husband. To become a Christian was a liberating thing for most women.
Christianity spread primarily throughout the cities. The cities of the time were overpopulated on the same level as Bombay but without the skyscrapers. This meant that the quality of life was extremely low and the introduction of a faith that offered hope was very appealing. The hope offered was more than what was to come in the next life but it was hope in a better way of life in the here and now. The Christ followers were known for their care for each other and in a time of no public health programs filled a significant need.
Christians stuck around when others left during two plagues that wiped out a significant percentage of the population throughout the Empire. According the studies cited in his book, Stark argues that Christianity spread rapidly during these plagues because Christians cared for the sick and in doing so decreased the mortality rate. In other words the Christians were more likely to live and the non-Christians who did survive often had Christians to thank for it.
As I was reading this book I was initially threatened by explaining the growth of the Church void of any reference to the Spirit. It sounded so scientific and lacking any involvement from God. I guess I do have a bit of a bias against science at times. I will have to work on that. But then the more I thought about it, the more I was encouraged by the fact that a community of people trying to follow Jesus’ teachings and put their hope in his death and resurrection has naturally appealing elements.
Christianity can provide care for those who have no one else. It can provide community when it starts to feel that everyone is disconnected. It can value those who are marginalized in the rest of society. It can meet the deeply felt needs of all kinds of different people. In fact it seems like it needs to by its very design. If it is not doing these things something is wrong.
I believe God has created us with certain emotions, desires and passions and it is comforting to know that his desired structure of how his people should live on earth as the Church should fulfill those needs. The Christian faith grew rapidly during the first couple of centuries because it met felt needs. Shouldn’t it do much the same today?
posted by Jon at
8:44 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home